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How to Design an Efficient Zoned HVAC System
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How to Design an Efficient Zoned HVAC System
Many residents complain of hot and cold areas in their homes. Alternatively, they might often mention that the rooms they hardly spend time in feel nice while the most frequently occupied areas are uncomfortable. Is it possible to solve this with a zoned HVAC system?
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A HVAC system can keep the temperature consistent in multiple areas of the home, courtesy of dampers that open or close depending on how much heat or coolness a particular room needs at a given time. Here are some helpful things engineers should consider when designing an HVAC zoning system that works effectively and efficiently.
Proceed Differently When the Project Is a Retrofit Versus New Build
The design process varies depending on whether the client wants the zoned system in a new building or one that’s getting an addition or remodeling. One design tip is ensuring that any new section or room has a thermostat. That’s because the updated parts of a home will typically have better insulation than older ones.
A zoned HVAC system has a thermostat in each area, dampers to control the airflow and a control panel that allows a person to manipulate everything in one place. Those components remain part of the setup regardless of whether the project is a retrofit or a new build. However, the main difference in new construction is that the installation professional has more options. When handling a retrofit, people are somewhat limited by what’s already there.
An existing system usually has a main supply duct and at least one branch supply duct per room. Installers must put dampers on all the branches, then connect them to that zone’s thermostat. When the branch supply ducts are behind drywall or otherwise hard to access, an option is to insert the dampers through registers or install them.
However, when the zoned system is on new construction or a project requiring new ductwork, installers can have one main supply duct per zone. They can put the dampers on those instead of the branch supply ducts. The main benefit of that approach is that the system uses fewer dampers.
One thing to be mindful of if adding zoning to an older home is that the overall project costs can rise if the ductwork is difficult to access. However, in such cases, the people overseeing the system planning should remind clients of the benefits. Those typically include better occupant comfort and significant energy savings.
